Disposable Planet?

This slide is taken from the BBC's interactive site on our planet. Called "disposable planet", the site examines the pressure our planet is under and asks, "Can we provide food, water, energy – and televisions, cars and holidays - for everyone, and leave future generations more than a planet-sized rubbish tip?"

For S4, the themes of urban decline and regeneration are well covered in a host of websites.

Among the best, I recommend:

The "Cities" section of disposable planet-click here for links

BBC talking point site-online debate where people leave messages on particular issues, in this case, "Are Cities growing too fast"-an ideal resource for both SIII world cities and SIV urban studies.

For our own case study of urban and industrial change in Bathgate and surrounding area, click on

IHow the Internet affects tourism-creating a Wiki

This topic is going to provide SII with a chance to make up their own wiki. A wiki is a web page that anyone with athorisation can access and alter. This means that it is DYNAMIC and UP TO DATE. It is also INTERACTIVE-you have the chance to create this website and maintain it.

You will get your essay on tourism back on Friday.
Redraft this in the light of comments or targets and then, using the password given to you, log on to the wiki and add your comments. In this way, the page will be a COLLABORATIVE effort, with contribiutions by all pupils.

To access the Wiki editing page, click here.
Click "Edit page" (blue button)Type in the password (see JMcD if you forget it)
Give your post a titleWrite in your description of your grid square
Upload your essay and put your initials at the end of the post
Check finished version by clicking "preview"
If amendments etc needed click "Cancel" and continue editing
If "good to go", press "Save"-the wiki has now been updated

Urban Zones Wiki

The Geowiki is intended to be a shared website to which you can add comments. SIV are making up a page to compare and contrast selected grod squares in Glasgow.
For each grid square you need to ask the 5Ws

where is it (in relation to Glasgow)
What is this place like (eg street layout, style, open space, buildings)
What would it be like to live here? (your reposnse to this area-how you imagine it to be)
Who lives here (population density? social and economic groups,, ethnic groups)
Why is this area like this (eg why is there no open space? why are there curved streets rather than straight rows?)

Click here
This takes you to "Urban Land Use Zones" page
Click "Edit page" (blue button)
Type in the password (see JMcD if you forget it)
Give your post a title
Write in your description of your grid square
Write in the comparison of the two grid squares you and your partner examined
Put your initials at the end of the post
Check finished version by clcking "preview"
If amendments etc needed click "Cancel" and continue editing
If "good to go", press "Save"-the wiki has now been updated

Photographs

This blog is dedicated to introducing you to the wealth of fantastic photographs. Every photograph tells a story. Photographs are a powerful resource in geography-they create a sense of place, make us think about people in a new and perhaps challenging way, or perhaps show a familiar landscape in an UNFAMILIAR way. How did the snow change OUR landscpae on Thursday, for example?

When looking at photographs of places ask yourself the 5Ws

Where is this place?
What is it like?
What would it be like to live here?
Why is it the way it is? (difficult one!!)
What makes it similar to and different from "my place"


The Guardian newspaper has an unrivalled website-click here to get images from the last 24 hours-choose ONE and write about it, using the 5Ws.

National Geographic has a vast portfolio of photographs covering every place on the Earth. Click here to access their gallery. Share with your partner your favourite picture. Use an Google Earth or an atlas to find out where it was taken.

Look at the last blog entry and log on to the "panoramas" website-if you are into digital technology, use it to navigate to links to find out HOW to take 360 degree photos.

Worldometer

2A and S4 have been looking at Worldometer, a website that gives a running total of many vital statistics.
Unlike a textbook, which prints information that very quickly become outdated., this site shows information changing before our eyes-eg we can see the numbers of births and deaths rise inexorably; we see the number of cars manufactured per year..and the number of bicycles.

What makes this interesting is trying to read behind the statistics..how do we know these numbers-who counts the number of lightning strikes each year?
who measured the mass of the Earth? How?
What is your reaction to these statistics?
How reliable is the data?
Take one statistic and use the comments feature to explain why you find it interesting and thought provoking.

New Year

The blog has resumed service after the Christmas Holidays!
To get panoramic views of how different cities celebrated New Year, click here

Pupils in SII have been considering the ways in which tourism has changed and how it can affect the environment. Among the main changes 2A identified as part of a brainstorm session based on a Ryan Air advert were

Increased use of internet booking *threat to Travel Agents?)
The rise of the budget airlines
Greater number of people taking frequent, short city breaks (eg to Prague, Rome, Nice)
Long Haul flights are also popular, eg to the USA, South East Asia
Expanding number of routes available, especially to European destinations
Impact on the environment-global warming??

Use the comments to add your own thoughts on how tourism is changing. Are all changes for the good?
(see article in Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism#Recent_developments for up to date information)

2A Homework for Wednesday 17th January

Guidelines

Reminder:-Write an essay on the topic, How has the internet changed travel?

1. Introduction-describe the discussion we had in class about how tourism has been changing. Start with the folloing sentence:

" Tourism has changed greatly in the last few years. One of the most significant changes has been the growth on online booking..

2. Explain how you could use your computer to book a holiday online. Outline the steps as if explaining to someone who is not familar with websites-Describe the features of an online booking site, eg Ryan Air, EasyJet, Online travel Explain how they help the tourist *Hint mention convenience, cost, other facilities

3. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of internet booking. You might mention:

cost, convenience, access to other places, the type of people who benefit versus
effect on environment, atmosphere, travel agencies, people with limited computer access.

4. Finish by writing a paragraph saying what you think about arranging a holiday online. How confident would you be?

New Year

The blog has resumed service after the Christmas Holidays!
To get panoramic views of how different cities celebrated New Year, click here

Pupils in SII have been considering the ways in which tourism has changed and how it can affect the environment. Among the main changes 2A identified as part of a brainstorm session based on a Ryan Air advert were

Increased use of internet booking *threat to Travel Agents?)
The rise of the budget airlines
Greater number of people taking frequent, short city breaks (eg to Prague, Rome, Nice)
Long Haul flights are also popular, eg to the USA, South East Asia
Expanding number of routes available, especially to European destinations
Impact on the environment-global warming??

Use the comments to add your own thoughts on how tourism is changing. Are all changes for the good?
(see article in Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism#Recent_developments for up to date information)

2A Homework for Wednesday 17th January

Guidelines

Reminder:-Write an essay on the topic, How has the internet changed travel?

1. Introduction-describe the discussion we had in class about how tourism has been changing. Start with the folloing sentence:

" Tourism has changed greatly in the last few years. One of the most significant changes has been the growth on online booking..

2. Explain how you could use your computer to book a holiday online. Outline the steps as if explaining to someone who is not familar with websites-Describe the features of an online booking site, eg Ryan Air, EasyJet, Online travel Explain how they help the tourist *Hint mention convenience, cost, other facilities

3. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of internet booking. You might mention:

cost, convenience, access to other places, the type of people who benefit versus
effect on environment, atmosphere, travel agencies, people with limited computer access.

4. Finish by writing a paragraph saying what you think about arranging a holiday online. How confident would you be?